Can forming and seaming machine.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1903.

. 0. PUDDEFOOT.

CAN FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 11, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 727,837. PATENTED MAY 1-2, 19 03. C. PUDDBFOOT. CAN FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1 1, 1901. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENT {Patented May 12, 1903;

OFFICE.

CHARLES PUDDEFOOT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIREOr AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BRISCOE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DE: TROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION.

CAN FORMING AND SEAMING MACHINE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,837, dated May 12, 1903. Application filed November 11, I901. Serial No. 81,920. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, CHARLES PUDDEFOOT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Can Forming and Seaming Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to can forming and seaming machines; and it is the special ob ject of the invention to obtain a simple construction of mechanism adapted to automatically form and seam the cans.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine made according to one form of my invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view showing the mechanism for feeding the blank and for forming the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the forming mechanism. Fig. 4 is a similar View show- 2 5 ing the preferred construction. Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic viewsillustratingthe Operation of forming the seam. Fig. 7 is a section on line a: m, Fig. 3.

A is a suitable framework for supporting the operating parts, which isprovided with an upwardly-extending portion B. Near the upper end of the portion B is a horizontallyextending born 0, around whichrthe sheet metal is bent to form the body Of the can.

5 As shown, the horn 0 comprises a cylindrical portion a and a shank b, with a shoulder a between. The shank b is secured to the frame- B and preferably to the upper edge of a re cess D, formed therein, said recess being of sufiicient width to permit the'sheet-metal blanks to be fed therethrough. Beneath the horn O is a horizontal frame E, forming a slide Over which the blanks are fed and provided at its opposite edges with angle-bars d,

adapted to guide and to center said blanks in relation to the horn C.

F represents sliding bars engaging with grooves formedlongitudinally in the horn C, upon opposite sides thereof. The forward portions of these bars are shaped to form complementary portions of the cylindrical surface of thehorn, while the rear portions engage with suitable overhanging guides which hold the bars in their slots. The bars F at their rear ends are connected to a yoke G,

cured to the bars F and adapted to engage with the sheet metal, as will be hereinafter described.

The mechanism for bending the sheet metal around the horn is of the following construction: K is a semicylindrical die arranged centrally beneath the horn C and having hinged thereto the segmental wings L L. These wings, together with the'die, are adapted to almost completely envelop the horn 0 when moved in proper relation thereto, a'small gap only being left between the adjacent edges of the wings centrally of the upper portion of the horn. In normalposition the die and its wings are arranged below the plane of the frame E and between the angle-bar guides 01 thereof, so as to permit the sheet-metal blank fed over the frame E,.to pass between the horn and said die. The latter is then moved upward to bend the sheet metal around the horn, and the wings are subsequently swung upon their hinges to complete the bending over the upper edge Of the horn. The mechanism for'accomplishing this movement comprises the vertically-sliding bars M, M, and

M the first'being attached to the die K and the latter being connected by swinging links N and N with thewings L and L. These links N and N are preferably slotted and engage with pins e upon arms f,projecting from. the wings, as shown in Fig. 3. 0

The mechanism for forming the seam is constructed as follows: In the upper face of the horn and between the adjacent edges of the wings L and L when the latter are closed about said horn is formed a longitudinal slot or recess g. Adjacent to this recess is a yielding die 0, which in normal position forms a portion of the periphery of the horn. The edge of this die adjacent to the recess 9 forms the angle over which the edges of thesheetmetal blanks are bent to form the engaging hooks of the seam. held in its normal position, preferably by springs P, between the lower edge of said die and the bottom of the recess. Suitable means is also provided for locking the die 0 from movement excepting at a certain point in the operation of the machine, as will be hereinafter described. In the drawings this look is shown as comprising a wedge Q between the die and the bottom of its recess, said wedge being attached to a bell-crank lever B and operated in a manner hereinafter set forth.

S is a bending-die or tucker arranged above the horn and adapted to be pressed down.- ward into the groove 9 adjacent to the die 0. The tucker S is slidingly secured in suitable bearings T, arranged above the horn and secured to the frame B.

U is a die for flattening the seam, which is also preferably slidingly secured to the hearing T and is arranged to move at an angle to the plane of movement of the tucker. Said die is also adapted at a certain point in the operation to press the die 0 downward agains the tension of the spring P.

For operating the parts above described any suitable properly-timed mechanism may be employed, but as shown is of the following construction: V is a shaft journaled in the lower portion of the frame, upon which are arranged a series of cams V. One of these cams is adapted to operate a rod W, which is connected to a rock-arm I on the rock-shaft I. The other cams are respectively adapted to operate levers or rock-arms X, which at their free ends are connected, respectively, with the vertical slidable bars M, M, and M before referred to, and also to similar bars M and M These latter bars are connected by links h h with bell-cran k levers t' i, pivoted upon the frame B on opposite sides of the horn C. The opposite arms of these bellcranks are respectively connected to the sliding dies S and U, while the lever 6 is also connected by an armj with the bell-crank R, before referred to. The cams V are of such form as to produce proper-timed operation of parts, as will now be described. Motion being imparted to the shaft V, the operator first places the sheet-metal blank upon the frame E adjacent to one set of dogs J, secured to the sliding bars F. The width of the blank is such that it will fit between the guide-bars d, so that it will be held in proper alinemeut with the horn G. The first movement of the shaft V will cause the rocking of the shaft I through the medium of the rock-arm I and rod W. This will cause the rock-arm I to move the yoke-frame G and slide the bars F The die 0 is yieldingly forward in their channels in the horn C. At the same time the dogs J will engage with the blank and draw it forward also. As shown, the machine is provided with three sets of dogs J, and each cycle of movement will cause the feeding of the blank forward to the position to be engaged by the next set of dogs. After the machine is in full operation the three blanks in engagement with the three sets of dogs will be fed simultaneously and the forward one will be moved beneath the cylindrical portion a of the horn O and above the die K and wings L L. In the next stage of the operation the cam V corresponding to the sliding bar M will operate its lever to raise said bar and press the die K upward, thereby bending the blank around the lower portion of the horn C. The rods M and M will then be raised by their corresponding levers and cams, so as to swing the wings L and L upon their pivots and complete the bending of the blank around the horn. When this operation is completed, the opposite edges of the blank will overlap each other and the die 0, as shown in Fig. 4. The bar M is next elevated by its cam and lever, which will cause the rocking of the bell'crank lever t' and the downward movement of the tucker S. At the same time the arm j will operate the bell-crank lever B, causing the wedge Q to be moved beneath the die 0 to lock the latter from yielding. The lower edge of the tucker S is of acuteangular form, and when it is moved downward it will press the overlapped ends of the blank downward into the recess 9, adjacent to the edge of the die 0, the latter serving to form an angular bend in the blank. As soon as this movement is completed the bell-crank levert' is moved in the reverse direction, which will cause the tucker to be raised and the wedge Q to be withdrawn, so as to permit the die 0 to yield. The next movement is that of the rod M link it, and bell-crank lever 01, which causes the die U to be pressed downward against the die 0 and over the bent portion of the blank. As the die U moves at an angle to the plane of movement to the tucker S, itis obvious that when it presses upon the engaging hooks formed in the overlapped edges of the blank it will flatten them down, the die 0 yielding to permit of this movement, until the seam is pressed againstthe bottom of the recess g. All of the movements above given are timed to be accomplished in one revolution of the shaft V and in the intervals between the forward feeding of the bars F and dogs J. As soon as the seam is completed the forming-dies will be returned, and another forward actuation of the bars B will cause shoulders 7t thereon to press against the end of the can-body and to ranged upon the opposite side of the recess 9 in the horn, and may be provided with springs and a locking-wedge similar in construction to the springs P and wedge Q and also operating connections for causing the wedge to lock the segment Y from movement during the operation of tucking. In this construction the tucker S and die 0 are so arranged as to form a substantially rectangular bend in the overlapped edges of the blank instead of an acute-angular bend, as shown in Fig. 3. In operation after the tucking has been effected the die U willbe moved downward into contact with both the die 0 and the movable segment Y, pressing them downward and flattening the seam against the bottom of the recess g betweenthe two'movable members.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a machine of the character described, a slide comprising a frame formed of oppositely-disposed angle side bars arranged to present their inclosed angles inwardly, said angle side bars being extended at one end to leave an uninterrupted space therebetween, and transverse bars beyond said space connecting the side bars to retain them in proper relation to receive blanks to be operated on, and forming mechanism operating in said space between the extended portions of the side bars; substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, forming mechanism, and means for feeding a blank thereto comprising a slide and means for moving a blank along said slide comprising slidable bars, dogs connected toand movable with said bars, and a yoke G extending around the slide and connected to the slidebars for operating the same, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, forming mechanism, and means for feeding a blank thereto comprising a slide and means for movinga blank along said slide comprising separated slidable bars, dogs connected to and movable with said bars, and means connecting said slide-bars arranged out of the line of travel along the slide, whereby the slide-bars are operated simultaneously; substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the character described, a horn having a recess in its surface, a movable die in said recess, springs for normally forcing the die upwardly, and means for temporarily locking the die against inward movement comprising a slidable wedge therebeneath, said wedge being slotted to permit the passage of the springs therethrough, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a machine of the character described, a cylindrical horn, a curved die located adjacent thereto, segmental wings hinged to said die, and operating means whereby the die and its wings will be forced to closely embrace the horn comprising rods M, M, M links N, N pivoted to the rods M, M ,'and a slidable connection between each of said links and the wing which-it operates; substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, a horn having a recess 9 in its surface, yieldable dies 0 and Yin said born at the respective sides of said recess Working ingu'ideways in the horn one of which is inclined rela tive to the other, and a tucker and die for successively forcing the edges of an article being operated on into said recess to bend and lock said edges together, substantially as desaid recess to bend'and lock said edges together, substantially as described 8. In a machine of the character described, a horn, having a recess in its surface, means for bending a blank therearound,a tucker and a die arranged to operate at an incline and adapted to force the edges of an article to be operated on into said recess to bend and lock said edges together, a guide 'I having oppositely-inclined surfaces for the tucker and the die, and means for successively operating the tucker and the die, substantially as described. 7

9. In a machine of the character described,

a horn having a recess gin its surface, means for bending a blank therearound, a tucker and a die adapted to force the edges of an article to be operated on into the recess tobend and lock said edges together, a guide for the tucker and the die, bell-crank levers connect ed to the tucker and the die, and means for rocking said bell-crank levers, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the character described, a horn having a recess in its surface, a mov IIO able die in said recess, means cooperating with said horn for bending a blank to be operated on therearound, a tucker adapted to operate on the edges of said blank, means for operating said tucker including a lever, a

movable wedge for temporarily holding the die against inward movement, and conn'ections between said wedge and the lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

' 11. In a machine ofthe character described, a horn having a recess in its surface, a movable die in said recess, means cooperating with said horn for bendinga blank to be 0perated on therearound, tucking mechanism adapted to operate on the edges of said blank, a movablewedge for temporarily holding the i die against inward movement, and connections between said wedge and the tucking mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a machine of the character described,

a horn having a recess in its surface, a movable die in said recess, means cooperating with said horn for bending a blank to be 0perated on therearound, a tucker adapted to operate on the edges of said blank, means for operating said tucker including a pivoted bell-crank lever i, a movable wedge for temporarily holding the die against inward movement, and connections between said Wedge and the lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature I in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES PUDDEFOOT. Vitnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, H. 0. SMITH. 

